Elijah Horland | Source | Executive Producer at Maker Faire Coney Island

Elijah Horland, an eighteen year old inventive and entertaining maker from Brooklyn, New York welcomes you to the maker journey.

At the helm of the Coney Island Maker Faire, Elijah takes on the role of a curator for some of the most inspiring makers on the planet. He dreamed up the idea of a Coney Island Maker Faire in 2019 and immediately set to making it a reality.

Elijah’s maker journey began at nine years old, building PCs from parts and assembling basic science kits. This quickly grew to a love of engineering, electronics and 3d printers. At twelve years old in 2015, he started a blog to share skills that had grown to an adult level of mastery.

Elijah's path intersected with Maker Faire in 2016 by joining the faire’s Street Team, working diligently to raise awareness of the event. From Maker Faire, new friends, peers and mentors took him to an even greater level of technical understanding and public speaking.

One achievement at a time, Elijah garnered support, winning contests and challenges, and found himself collaborating with newfound maker friends on projects, demonstrations. Soon he was on TV, co-hosting the show “MythBusters Jr.” on Discovery for the 2018 season.

Less than a week after MythBusters finished filming, Elijah immediately returned to work at Maker Faire as a volunteer and now also as a headline presenter. From working levitation devices to a near-space balloon that was covered on WNEP news in Pennsylvania when it made an unscheduled landing nearby, he’s never stopped making and presenting new work.

In 2019 Maker Faire NYC shut down. At fourteen years old, Elijah set the goal of starting a new Maker Faire in Coney Island. Partnering with local organizers, business owners and politicians, it took him four years to bring this dream to life.

Maker Faire is more than a stepping stone to Elijah, it’s a place where technical and inventive people can meet, share ideas and grow together. He knew it needed to return to New York City.

Elijah’s journey reminds us that innovation, inspiration and perseverance are the true markers of success.